Heartfelt
by Riricious
Summary: Because deep within your heart, you can't seem to fight that downfall, surely pulling you down as you try to reason it. "—Love is such a cruel passion coated with exquisite words.." he whispered. "—And you are to taste it thoroughly... Misaki."
1. Chasing Echoes

**A/N (01/01/2015): Hello! And happy New Year everyone. **

**This is my very first fanfiction, I apologize in advance for any grammatical or spelling error (English is not my native language but I intend to improve with time). Any reports of errors are welcomed of course, be kind enough to PM or comment (: !**

**This story is greatly inspired of several amazing authors on fanfiction such as ErifulBunny with **_**Fateful**_** (sadly under revision) and Idon'twantausername, author of **_**Twisted**_**. Those are both amazing stories featuring a possessive Takumi which I totally love. **

**Please, be patient with me, and I hope that you will enjoy the storyline aswell!  
**

**A/N (28/01/2015): For guests asking me question; I do reply to all my reviewers, but I only can do so if you log in your account or state your full username, please be aware!  
**

**Disclaimer : Kaichou wa maid-sama belongs to Fujiwara Hiro.**

**Without further ado,**

* * *

_—_

**— Heartfelt **—

Chapter 1 :_Chasing Echoes_

_—;—_

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_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Eyes wide open, footsteps could be heard in the darkness._

**—**

_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_And she prayed that they would fade away, far from the frail blankets she hid under.._

**—**

_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_The doorknob hissed as his hand grazed the cold silver, his fingertips slowly spreading heat on the metallic surface..._

_The low creak of the door resonated in the whole corridor, making Misaki shiver, shutting her eyes in hope that this futile action could protect her from her surroundings._

**—**

_Steps..._

_..._

_Steps..._

...

The sounds of footsteps seemed to ring in her ears as he was slowly getting closer to the king sized bed that occupied the center of the room. Moonlight rays softly shone on the pristine white sheets of the bed, revealing the shadow of the curled body buried under the multitude of layers, swirling into a wrinkled mess.  
Misaki felt the bed gradually sink under the weight of his body, as he sat on the edge of the bed, his hands on each side of him, waiting for a reaction from her pretending sleeping state.

_"Misaki..."_ his voice growled lowly as his hands started to slowly make their way up on her dissimulated body. Her breathing stopped, fearing that the uneven sound of her breathing would give her away.

_"Mi -sa -ki..."_ he whispered, punctuating each of his syllables with a stroke on her cowered form. Drops of sweat began to trail off her temples as she carefully, and as quietly as she could, exhaled the air caged in her lungs.

_"You are not asleep.. Even I, can know that much, Misa-chan..."_ he continued in his low whisper, his hands slowly tearing apart the layers of fabrics covering her body. She began to panic, silently gasping, her mind clouded with fear as her eyes widened, imagining the consequences of her act, were he ever to find out she was faking her sleep. She was suddenly pulled off her thoughts as the soft light emanating from the clear full-moon blinded her tired eyes, making them close forcefully and blink several times. His musky cologne invaded her as he bent down on her tiny form.

_"Answer me.."_ his smooth whisper pleaded, his fingertips brushing her up arms as her back was facing him.

_"Answer me, Misaki.."_ he growled, her refusal starting to strain his hardly under-control patience.  
He shifted his position, crawling onto the bed, as his shadow came to shield her from the rays of lights that beamed on her pale complexion.

Finding out that she still tried to fake her sleep with her eyes closed and her face seemingly frozen in a neutral expression...which was nowhere near convincing as her eyelids fluttered lightly under the fright she was experiencing, and her jaws slightly contracted, betraying her act; he slowly bent, his lips only inches from her defenceless ear.

_"I don't mind having it my way with you being unconscious either.."_ he purred, and true to his words, his head dipped down to the crook of her neck, his lips grazing her porcelain skin, as he trailed down to the valley of her chest, leaving warm kisses in their wake. Her heartbeat rate went up a scale, as she decided to endure the sickly sweet torture he made her undergo, putting both her mind and body at edges. Her eyebrows furrowed as she felt his hand follow the curve of her sides, spreading warmth on their way as it dangerously kept running above her belly and slowly getting lower... only to go back upward..

Her mind was on fire as her eyes started to get watery. She wished he would stop his ministration at the same instant..

But he showed no intention to stop anytime soon as he gently brushed her cheeks, his thumb smearing off the trace of tear running down her face... He guided the teardrop to his lips, a smirk worming its way on his charismatic features as he tasted the salty liquid with delight.  
_  
"You are mine, Misaki..." _he continued, as his hands went back to her body, assaulting her frozen porcelain skin, coloring red as his grip on her got tighter and tighter...

His voice made her quiver through his touch as she came back to her mind, unable to bear any longer his increasingly hurtful demeanor. Her brain began to run in full speed as she noticed through her parted eyes the setting of the whole situation. The door had been left ajar as Takumi entered the room and he was on the side between the way out and herself, encircling her body with his wide one, his shadow sprawled on her whole being as his head sought the little warmth she had to offer in the corner between her neck and her shoulder.

"_Mine alone.."_ his ragged breath let out as teeth collided with her soft silky skin.

She prayed her only plan would give her enough time as she bawled her right fist into a tight ball, her knuckles turning white, as she struck it straight onto his cheek. She quickly dived her hand to grab a handful of his disheveled blonde hair and latched it full strength off the bed, following with a random kick on his body. She hoped it had landed on a sensitive area as she stumbled across the bed, leaving the room as fast as possible, without sparing a glance at him, in case his recovery was fast enough to make her heart sink, sink along with any spark of hope the surprised groan that escaped his mouth gave her in the whole mess.

**—**

_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Echoing in the darkness... Panic corrupted her..._

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_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Her heart beating like a fury, she ran past the corridor, wide windows enhancing her fleeting shadow as her rushed steps rang through the night._

_**—**_

_Steps..._

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_Steps..._

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_Why couldn't she hear any of his footsteps chasing her though?... Disarray started to hang heavily with every single steps she took.._

_**—**_

_Steps…_

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_Steps..._

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_Her heart started to weigh down as her intuition tried to warn her that something was going wrong..._

**—**

_Steps...  
_  
_Steps..._

...

Out of oxygen from the exhausting run, she halted in a dark corner, where a mahogany table sat on a wide mural carpet that ran down the wall, covering the wooden floor of its soft fur. Her head was tilted against the wall, her body propped on the table, her vision was fuzzy and the pounding of her heart was getting painful. She closed her eyes, trying to recover as she inhaled as much air as she could. Her erratic heartbeat calmed down as a familiar cologne overwhelmed her senses.

Which made her heart jump, alarmed.

_She tried to open up her eyes but couldn't._

_All she saw was pitch black._  
_And a throbbing pain spreading on the back of her head._


	2. Reminiscences

**—**

**— Heartfelt **—

Chapter 2 :_Reminiscences  
_

_—;—_

* * *

He slowly made his way back to the room, carrying his prey in his arms. The Moon was still up in the sky as it flashed its pale light through the thin glass of the several picture windows he passed.

_"Misaki, Misaki...What have you done?.. Aren't you in trouble now?"_ His voice hummed as a satisfied smile came across his features.

_"Why would you try to escape, my sweetheart?"_ He gently brushed one of her chocolate strand to his lips, his voice trickling like melting honey as he carried on. _"After all, you're carved in me." _His voice lulled in the clear night, filling the flow of time that tickled away in a silent murmur.

_—_

* * *

_She had just finished her shift and headed for the changeroom as Takumi lifted her from her feet, a surprised gasp left her mouth. "Usui! Stop that, we're still at work!" She squealed. _

_"Ehh, what does work has to do with this?" He teased, unable to refrain the smile curving his lips. _

_"Well...um.. It's forbidden at work! There you go!" She exclaimed, leaving no room for argument as she lightly hit him with her elbow, freeing herself from his grasp to slip in the changing room. "How mean Misaki-chan..." He teased, faking his dissapointment, as he grinned when she kept nagging at him through the door.  
_

_A moment later, they were finally out, on their way back home. They walked silently along the snowy road, the light of street lamps illuminating their path along the way. Foggy steam came out with every breath they exhaled. They enjoyed each others company, whether they would nag at each others, laugh together, sometime argue all the way or just walk silently side by side; they simply cherished their shared moment. Christmas illuminations set by the crossroad slowly came to view, and soon enough, they would walk past through it. Today was Christmas, everyone was celebrating it that night. Thus, their pathway was silent, save for the faraway shouts of joy and the merry atmosphere in the busy square market across the right wing of the intersection. _

_Takumi squeezed her hand, dropping his pace as Misaki turned to look at him, curious of the sudden stop. "What's wrong, Usui?" she wondered, her head slightly tilted to its left. He held his hand to gently brush her left cheek, pulling her with his free hand into a warm hug. "It's Christmas, Ayuzawa.." he statted, expecting something from her. Her brows furrowed as she questioned a "So what?", not understanding what he wanted from her. "Well.." he pulled back and rummaged through his pocket, before bringing forth a little box, wrapped and adorned of some silky gold ribbons. _

_Misaki eyes widened: she totally forgot to buy him a present, she was way too busy with final academic exams, the president council, her part-time job...unlike.. well, that was his case too but still! _

_"It's okay Ayuzawa, I knew that it would be one sided anyway.." He intentionally sounded hurt, his eyes looking down at his feet as if he was a neglected little puppy. She could almost see his ears down. "Uh.. I'm.. sorry Usui.." she lowly mumbled, he held out his gift to her as she looked at the package and still inquired: "Is that really for me through?". Her eyes were full of doubt as to why he would only give a gift to her and not to any of the other maids at Maid Latte. He gave her a sly smile.  
_

_"Do you see anyone else around?" He softly replied. Her eyes shifted around to see the deserted snowy road. Indeed; there was noone else. "Open it," he insisted, and she took the gift from his hand, softly unfolding the crook of the ribbon. "Eh, it's so pretty..." she breathed, her shiny eyes set upon the delicate wristlet, ornamented of a pristine white heart. "Glad you like it," he smiled, relieved to notice the sparks in her eyes as they feasted on the elegant jewel. "Let me put it on you Ayuzawa" he offered, and she hesitantly nodded, holding out her wrist for him to reach. _

_He quickly set it on her and they both grinned at eachothers until she suddenly squaled, surprising Takumi. "Usui! Wait! H-How much was that?!.." she glared at him, striding forward him, as he quickly backed off.. He couldn't hide his smile as he ran to the side of the road, grabbing some piled snow in his cold hand to softly launch it on her, earning a gasped yelp and a death stare from her. "Your face was too red, I only wanted to cool it off.." he teased, and childishly ran away, his laugh filling the silent road as she furiously trailed behind him, her hands full of hard-squeezed snow balls, ready to kill a certain alien.  
_

_It was one of those night that she cherished. One of those moment she would never forget. And a memory that is long buried under the several years they spent together, seemingly erased from his consciousness.  
_

_—_

Birds were skimming between the cold leaves, remnants of the frozen winter as the early sun shyly filled the sky of its warm rays. Spring was allowing the pilled snow to slowly melt away into clear puddles, and the seasonal loop just carried the eternal promise of renewing the scenery of its natural beauty.

A tall figure was standing in front of the clear glass of the floor-to-ceiling window, his left hand in his expensive tailor made suit pocket as his other hand was holding a steaming hot cup of coffee to his pursed lips. His emerald eyes were locked on the wide and alluring landscape that was displayed ahead of him. Forest green grass was unfolding to the horizon beneath his eyes, as well as the crystal clear lake that sprawled across the land, granting the panorama of a wild surrounding. The figure lightly shifted as he heard a soft whimper coming from the hefty bed. Her slender body snuggled against the layered bedsheets as a perceptible metallic clash could be heard against the wooden bedstands.

The unpleasant sound awoke Misaki from her sleeping state, cursing under her breath because of the excruciating pain that vibrated in the back of her head. She sat up in the middle of the bed, hardly moving her legs as she felt them struggling heavily. The weight on her right ankle was obviously explained; she was restrained to her bed with metallic shackles on her right ankle that were both chained to two different side of the bedstands. _Obviously, one would be too common, he had to do it with originality,_ she bitterly guessed. Aware of his presence, she glanced to his direction, noticing his back turned to her. With unexpected bravery, after all, her fate was unescapable at this moment, she decided to face her destiny.

"Um..." She prompted weakly, seeking for his attention.

He ignored her, quietly sipping his coffee as silence took its rightful place back. "Hey.." she pursued, her voice beggining to get fuller. He slowly set his coffee cup down as he sneered at her with cold eyes.

"I believe names are meant to be called, Misaki." He warned. She was set aback, a silent affliction stamping her heart as she complied, "U-Usui, wh—", she began to stutter.

"I will repeat it once more, _names_ serve a purpose, Misaki." He coldly stressed, his eyes glaring at her. Her bewildered expression was replaced with fright as she struggled.

"Takumi?..." She timidly ventured, carefully watching his tensed expression loosen up. "What is it Misaki," he inquired, slowly pacing his way to her, to pause inches away from the bed._  
_

"Can we head out today?... The weather seems gre—" She started to plead, but once again, she got cut off by his low tone, denying her half-requested plea.

"No can do Misaki..." His mischevious voice striking her demand. He soflty sat at the edge of the bed, his hand running through his golden strands as he peered at her. "You hurt me last night, are you aware of that?" He statted, anticipating her frantic nods as her eyes were anxiously transfixed on his knees, disheartened by the turn this conversation was taking.

"What should be your punishment, then?" He spoke, half a question, half a self-inquiry. He glanced at her, her body curling into a protective ball, as she was slowly backing off to the opposite corner of the bed, alike to a cornered street cat being assaulted. He stood up, pleased with the reaction he triggered within her, as she began to apprehend all the torture he could make her undergo, muffling her tears with the thin blanket that was cocooning her whole body.

And he left her there, slowly pacing away as the echo of his footsteps dwindled in the corridor, leaving the door wide open, the unescapable way out closer than ever, but the farthest from her reach.

—

A bitter smile adorned his feature, as he headed out to the office. He knew that she was already trying to walk past the unattainable door; he knew that she would crawl on the wooden floor, that she would try to break the bed apart, try to rip her ankle away.. But to no avail would she reach the sole purpose of her actions. She was a bird that was craving to soar. And he was like the sorrowful gravity, keeping her feathers on the uneven ground.

_Only to keep her within his graps._  
_Only because he was also pulled down by his own aptitude._  
_— because he had no wings attached to him._

_"Think of me Misaki, hate me, love me, despite me, adore me... Anything that you wish, as long as you keep me within your heart."_

_Because he could never fly with her._


	3. Sinful Bliss

_—_

**— Heartfelt **—

Chapter 3 :_Sinful Bliss_

_—;—_

* * *

As soon as the distant echoes of his steps died away, she quickly raised her head up, to make sure of his absence. Her tensed body relaxed as she wiped away the vestige of her tears that rested on her cheek.

And there she was, left alone by the tyran that restrained her freedom with a tight lash.

_Fear was such a pain, and uncontrollable emotions a hurdle to any minded beings_, she thought. She was not dumb, nor was she naive. She was well aware that this setting was only made up by him, that she virtually had no chances to escape anytime soon. She knew him too well; and this was no opportunity. _He probably set his friggin' servants and maids in every corner of his residence,_ she hissed nervously. Her warm fingers reached for the cold metal that enslaved her ankle as her fingers trailed along the jagged curve encircling her tightly. _Being restrained was also a pain_, she grimaced. Why was there always something that prevented her to jump onto her leeway? Was it physically, or immaterially; life held so many unwanted restrictions. Laws, money, _responsibilities_, debt, _unwanted emotions_, society, expectations, ... _—__and shackles_.. she bitterly remarked.

The brilliant idea she had was to try to slip her feet out of the shackle; afterall, she was frail enough to feed the hope of the shackle being too broad for her thin ankle. But soon enough, she realized that it was way too narrow to actually skid through it, and she learnt that the hard way as a burning red mark surfaced, leaving a wounding friction that made her grind her teeth and swallow back her tears in retaliation.  
Her eyes scanned through the room, hoping to find anything that could lift her from her situation. But even if there were many items that could potentially be of use; they were all out of reach. And no matter how hard she stretched her arm, how roughly the shackle yanked on her bruised leg, or even how miserable she felt when she crawled on the floor, trying to get closer to her desired goal, she did not attain her pursued objective.

The amount of time spent in desperate and futile actions was now consequent as she felt a lack of energy submerge her whole being; tired from trying and apparently wasted from crying.

She laid on the floor, curling up as her swollen eyelids barely opened. Silence permeated the whole sunbathed room as her conscience drifted to the outdoors chipping sound of birds, leading their usual morning routine. She glanced through the window from the floor, as cold air grazed her skin.  
_Envy; I'm envious of these careless birds,_ she sighed, her eyes slowly shutting down into an agitated sleep.

* * *

_—_

His eyes nonchalantly wandered from her unconscious face to her reddened ankle. He sighed, his heart sinking deeper than what he had expected.  
Kneeling down, he brushed his fingers against her cold and damp cheeks as his eyebrows furrowed. _—And yet, I allow her to go through such pain__..,_ he murmured, with a pained smile on his face. A sigh once again escaped his lips as he stood up and locked the door with a swift flick. He looked one last time at her form, her body heaving up and down with every breath she took, before his velvety voice filled the previously heart-warming room.

"Misaki." He called, as his tall figure was eyeing her down from his height. She started to snuggle against the floor, her stirred mind still drowsy as he kept calling her name, his voice getting deeper with each syllabes and harsher with impatience. And when she finally rouse up from her sleeping state, the first thing her eyes met was some elegant and luxurious black leather shoes. Her eyes moved up, following his stature; long legs and tailored suit was framing his svelte figure as even the folds weaving on his attire seemed to amplify his allure. Her eyes eventually tumbled upon his face. The face only he could make; the hard and ruthless expression adorning his charismatic features, one of his familiar look he reserved for her.  
Her eyes hastily went back down to his shoes before she rose up and sat on her knees, the most polite sitting form she could use in his presence.

_"Behave."_ was all she was told.

A look full of confusion painted her face as she knew he wasn't to be expected before late. And yet, the sun was still shinning and she had a hunch that they were barely past noon. Her throat was painfully dry due to all the crying that had drained her whole. Her inner thoughts went into turmoil as he bent down on her, making her recline back and fall on her back, her head propping on the side of the bedstand. Shivers ran up her spine when he grabbed her restrained ankle, pulling it to him, and god knows why, set her free of her shackles.

After a few seconds of silence, he off-handedly paced away to stop in front of the window, his wide back in view as a significant distance was left between them both.

"..Takumi?" Her hoarse voice inquired. And there, she could not even recognize her voice.

"I will be tending to your need today," he casually spoke, as if it wasn't even to be asked for how self-evident it was. His head tilted to watch her puzzled face as his gaze locked with hers. Her thoughts basically had the need to process it but her rebellious mind took the lead, making the obvious inquiry slip out of her mouth.

"Don't you know what I need? Takumi.." She struggledly pleaded, her voice coming off even more cracked and throaty than before. His eyes narrowed as his lips twitched into a cunning smile. "When I said_ needs_, I meant it as_—,_" he paused, eyeing her suggestively. "Your natural body's ones." He said, concluding with a mischevious grin that made its way onto his face as hers broke down into uneasiness.

He reached the table where the earlier cup of coffee rested, and filled a wine glass full of clear and fresh water that he lifted to his slightly open lips. As her eyes were enraptured to his lips, she noticed the water flow down into his mouth, a drop escaping and rolling down his chin until only less than an inch was left in the glass. His thumb came onto view to wipe the dripping trail away up to his tongue, delightedly taking care of it as his eyes were set in her baffled ones.

"Aren't you thirsty?" He hummed, playing with the thin glass in his slender fingers. Messing with her was a part of him, and all she could do was to act as obediently as she could to avoid troubles. That wimpy part of her, she was not even aware of its existence until lately, until he made her realize that being hot-blooded would only make her fall deeper into suffering. And even though she acknowledged that fact; she still hated herself for being this weak and complying. Her head bowed with shame as she nodded, shifting her gaze to his feet.

He motioned for her to come closer as he plumped down into the adjacent sofa. Seeing that she was still standing there, he set aside the glass on the table, and with large strides, he reached and yanked her by the arm, pulling them both back to the sofa, onto his former position. The force he put in the gesture made her stumble and loose her balance; one of her knee propping in the gap between his legs as her hand inherently clutched his arm in the fall. His free hand glided from her wrist to her other hand, fingers filling the spaces between her loose ones, fitting perfectly.

"Your eyes, Misaki." He scowled. She lifted her gaze to his, fearing what would happen, was she to act contrary to his expectations.  
Finding herself obediently compelling once again, her heart squeezed painfully as his smoldering voice rang again, piercing her mind and resonating in her whole.

"Come closer." His silky voice demanded. Restless, she awkwardly shifted, not knowing how to get any much closer to him. His hand tightened around hers, pulling her briskly, as a surprised shriek escaped from her lips. She barely had the time to shot out her hand against the back of the sofa to support herself, avoiding to crash into him. She made sure that she was not straddling him as she stood on her knees, towering over him.

"Here." He breathed, leading the hardly filled glass to her chapped lips. Her trembling hand that was initially gripped onto his shirt shifted to take the glass from him, but he slightly pulled it back, away from her reach.  
"Do not," he warned as his eyes narrowed, "I will feed you." He continued, making his intention crystal clear. The little he gave her was enough to sate her dry throat, but unsufficient to her thirst, leaving her hanging now that she tasted the refreshing liquid. Her eyes were noticeably longing for more as she whispered her gratefulness.

"Don't you need more, Misaki?_"_ He purposedly asked, testing her will. She politely declined, trying to sound convincing enough to his ears, but her voice falthered by the end of her sentence, making him chuckle lowly.

_"_Is that so,_"_ he purred, as he kept going on.

"And here, I was about to pour you another glass..." He fakely confessed, his appealing voice flowing just as the water glided down her throat, making her speechless._  
_

_"_But you are already contented," he added, a glint in his eyes. She quivered at his words; and true to her need, she could not help but expose her weak side once again.

"Could I have anoth_—..._" She prompted, and before she even finished her sentence, she knew she had fallen into his awaiting trap at the sole look of his face.

_He grinned inwardly as he only spoke those two words that made her loose the little composure she had gathered throughout the whole time._

His voice was velvety, almost a purr, and yet leaving no room for arguments. His eyes never parting from hers, he leant back onto the seat, making himself comfortable as his arms trailed along the high-rear and his head propped on the back of the sofa. And he waited. He waited for her to willingly bend to his whim, to consent to her act. And then, would she be able to truly set all the blame on him? She could not. She could not, and he knew that. His stare was like fire, making her weak, struggling for air. It made her feel vulnerable. And she could only give in, letting her conscience down for awhile, until she found a better way to put up with the situation.

_Until that time.. Maybe would it be already too late_, _she sorrowfully deemed, her heart sinking any deeper than it could anymore._

And she leant down onto him, her eyes desperately shut altogether, as their lips slowly brushed against eachothers. Their warm breathing entangled as it got fonder, she would whimper into his mouth as his hands would finally encircle her tightly against him, pressing them as one. Ragged breathing and earnest sighs would punctuate each of their moves. And only moments later would they come back to their mind. Only later would reason be part of their rational thinking. But until then.. They would be drowning in the swirl of this ardent feeling, and she would feel like a conflicted sinner as he would blissfully savor being complete._ After all, was it really hard to indulge in love?_

_All I need is for you to stay... Stay with me, Misaki._


	4. Dusk to Dawn

**—**

**— Heartfelt **—

Chapter 4 :_Dusk to Dawn  
_

—;—

* * *

And here she was, starring blankly at the high ceiling of the conspicuous room, lying down on the bed as her limbs were widely streched on the rumpled bedsheets. The previous hours had been of the most distressing since her stay here. To both her mind and body; to both her soul and heart.

She didn't know why, and if she did, she pretended to be unaware of the reasons. She didn't know why she broke down that miserably in his presence. She just cried like she never had before. Like the weak being she had become would.

At first, only a few drops of confusion welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.

And suddenly, the dam broke.

Burning torrents flowed down her face, wrenching sobs unconsistently punctuating the room as she collapsed to the floor, still bared and defenseless. She was a pitiful mess, her harsh sobs making her shaky figure heave up and down with each gasp of air.

And much to her surprise, she choked on her tears when he wrapped his white button down shirt around her thin back, a motion which only drove her deeper into sorrow. She foggily saw unbuckled dark trousers come into view and then he was there.

He kneeled in front of her, pressing her head between his palms as his thumb smeared the scorching tears off her cheeks. His eyes gazed into her downcasted ones with an expression akin to anguish and a mix of conflicted emotions, before he gently took her arms and helped her in his shirt. As her whole body was limp and heavy, she heed no attention to his doing as her grieve still took all of her consciousness. He unhurriedly buttoned the shirt up, grabbing her arms to circle them around his neck and sliding his arms underneath her back and knees, before he lifted her off the floor to the large king sized bed.

As she rested in his arms, head tugged under his chin, he whispered sweet nothings to her ears, with comforting kisses between each words.  
Through she did not hear any of them, her frantic heartbeats simmered down with each whisper. He climbed on top of the bed, leaning his back against the few pillows propped to the headboard. Pulling her into his arms, her head was laying on top of his strong chest as tears rolled down his bust.

Throughout the whole outburst, he held her tightly in place, his hand gently stroking her hair as his lips brushed her forehead, occasional soothing murmurs squeezing her soul dry.

_Why?_ That was the only question that came to her mind back then. A single syllabe; a single word; only one question: and yet, so many uncertainties. Instead of the usual pattern where he would, without concern, walk out on her if she was to act as what he considered was _bothersome, _he was still there. No cold stares, apathetic expression or emotionless indifference: only concern shone in his bright emerald eyes.

And even when the perioc hiccups steadied, he still held her lovingly in his arms, not letting her go, until he felt that her resistance eased down as drownsiness took better of her.

Awhile later, he nudged her awake, softly whispering her name in her ears, a contrast so blatant compared to a few hours ago, when he treated her like some kind of slave. She shivered in retrospection.

A tray of food was being brought up and set at the bottom of the bed.

And he fed her tenderly.  
Tenderness that stirred pain, apprehension and fear to her core. Tenderness that added to her emptiness. But never did she dare to look at him in the eyes, and least of all try to distance herself. Else, she would have seen an expression she never had until now. And little did she know that, even when he sat on the adjacent sofa, his laptop on his thighs as he told her he would work: his eyes never ceased to come back to her more often than they purposefully should.

She pretended to be asleep, her back facing him. Her gaze transfixed on the wall that stood far in front of her, she lost herself in the past. Moments later, she heard the distinct clic of the door being unlocked, and locked back as he left the room.

Wide awake and her heart painfully beating in her chest, she rolled on her backside and drifted to her former thoughts.

_—_

* * *

_"Ayuzawa," Takumi called. Their classmate were celebrating their graduation in an grill shop, and obviously, even the President was successfully forced into drinking to celebrate the end of high school._ _They were seated on the floor around a long table close to the ground as smell of sizzled meat filled the whole shop._

_"Mmmm... Usui! What are you doing here! Haha..." she laughed heartily when her friend whispered to her ear. That sounded so pleasant to his ears but he knew how she could act when she was the slightest drunk. He suspiciously eyed the table, spotting the trio who seemed to plot something as they frantically glanced at Misaki, whispering ushed words to eachothers. She was, ___ apparently, _completely unaware of her surrounding. _

_Else, she would have warned them not to try anything inappropriate. They were definitely getting out of here, before she would unleash her drunk-behavior, Takumi thought._

_"Ladies and gentlemen, I will take Prez' back home." he voiced, loud enough to be heard by the crowd. __Eyes wide open, Misaki started to struggle as he tried to pull her by the arm to get her to stand._ _Every guys on the table seemed pleased by the new, happy to know that the devil who had messed up all their chances with the girls for more than two years would soon be leaving._

_"I have to stay! The girls are going to get harmed without me!" She slurred at him._

_"They can manage, don't worry," he said, dragging her as she tried to hold on the table. "Plus, I don't think you could be of much help right now, Prez." He added, before hauling her over his shoulder, carrying her out to the exit._

_"Good night."_ _He threw one last glance at the guys_._ His intent was clear, and what his eyes said was: "Don't think about doing anything improper."_ _The whole room shivered at the glare. He walked away without care, and crossed the threshold of the shop though Misaki was wailing and thrashing_ _around, yelling_ some _"Let me down! Usui!" and a few angered growls.  
_

_It was dark outside, and spring's night held a chilly tone. Several cars crossed them on their way as occasional passersby would give them curious look. Misaki finally calmed down after awhile, and stilled in his grasp. _

_"Let me down please, it's embarassing..." She pleaded, her face all red from shame. _

_"Oh? So you are not drunk enough to ignore the public?" He chuckled, before putting her to the ground. _

_"I barely drank." She retorted with a glare._

_"Then, let's go home hand in hands Misa-chan." He said with a cocky grin. Her brows furrowed as she slapped his arm, making him wince softly. _

_"Home? But that's the other way around Usui!" _

_"I meant, our home as my appartment. Let's spend the night together, Prez'." He winked, and turned around to look at her frozen look as she stood in the middle of the street, seemingly irresolute about the way things were going. _

_"But... Maybe I don't want to go there?" She blushed. The pink hue that crept onto her cheek triggered his curious mind._

_"Why not? We could do so many things there, like, play to games, talk, cuddle, kiss..." Her eyes widened as he casually spoke those last words.  
_

_"Inappropriate! I'm going home!" She stomped the other way around, but he caught her arm before she could put distance between them. _

_"You can't go, Ayuzawa." _

_"Why?" She asked, tilting her head to the side in a drowsy way.  
_

_"Your mother, she will be surprised if you get home so late, and on top of that, drunk. You smell like sake, don't you know?" He gave her the only most-likely reason she would maybe acknowledge. Crossing his fingers, he hoped she would buy the made-up explanation without tantrum. _

_"...Uh?... Ehh?! Really? I'm going to take a shower and I'm heading back then." She turned around and started to stride off to his apartment. And he was glad she couldn't see the broad grin that was plastered on his face. Did she, maybe she would have changed her plans. Following her steps in the crisp night, his smile never faded away on the whole way back home. _

_—_

_The shower was running as he sat on the couch waiting for her, not even bothering to flick the lights on. His unfocused stare was directed towards the night view his flat had on the city. Relaxing his posture, he allowed himself to close his eyes for a few minutes, before exhaling deeply. Unconsciously, fatigue prevailed as he slumbered into a well earned sleep. _

_Several minutes later, she had finally finished and felt refreshed by that quick shower. Stepping out of the bathroom, a trail of light filled the room when she opened the door. Her eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the darkness as she walked up to the main room. Silents footsteps were brushing on the cold tilled floor as she made it to him. The sight that greeted her made her eyes widen in return. _

_He was dozing off, his head slightly cocked to the side, resting on the back of the sofa as his soft hair gently fell down around his closed eyes. Such a singular sight that she had never seen of him before. He looked so defenseless, a significant change compared to his usual expression... _

_Such precious lips.  
_

_She closed the distance between them, standing in front of him as her gaze never left his face. She relished in the silent admiration she could permit herself as he would never know her intent. Her hand gently stroked his hair, ever so carefully so as not to wake him. Sliding to his cheek, her touch only left warmth and tenderness in their wake as they followed the path of his jawline. _

_Slowly bending down to him, s___he could see his long lashes upclose, so close she could even touch them when her eyes flickered to his. _She could hear his regular breathing as his chest rose and fell down with each intake, feel__ her nose softly brush against his. Her breath mingled with his as her lips melted on his own, a delicate promise from her part and a silent confession to their relationship. He shifted under the caress, and before she could pull away, his hands were already cupping her face with fondness. She looked into eyes that mirrored the limitless city lights, each spark a myriad of feelings. They were a window to his soul and only reflected his devotion to her, an undying passion and serene compassion. Her heart stirred as he pulled her onto him, softly flushing her against him as she sank in his embrace.  
_

_"Ayuzawa..." His soft spoken voice rang in the silent room._

_He tilted his head upward, their noses touching as his eyes closed, revelling into the warmth of the contact. Her eyes wandered over his face before her lips roamed upon his sealed eyelids, leaving soft kisses in their wake. His eyes fluttered open, and suddenly, he nudged her off him, pushing her down to lie on the couch. Crawling over her, he towered over her slender figure before diving down to her exposed neck, pecking on her soft skin.  
_

_"Uh!... It tickles, Usui!" She exclaimed, writhing beneath him as she tried to pull away from his touch. She gasped for air, her slanted eyes overflowing with tears of laughter. And before she knew it, fierce lips came into collision with her own. His intent altered with the playful showdown they just had as he took advantage of her parted lips, pulling her into a heated kiss. Not before long, the atmosphere between them became thick with passion. Her hands fisted in his hair, she pulled him closer to her as he deepened the kiss, his tongue tasting her over and over again, capturing her lips with fervent devotion. She moaned in his mouth as one of his hand came to hold her own hand, threading his fingers with hers in natural perfection.  
_

_"Ayuzawa?" He inquired. Her half-lidded gaze was lost somewhere in the depth of his forest eyes. Alcohol was taking its toll on her mind, and to add to the equation: it was way past midnight. She was past her bedtime by several hours, no wonder sleep was catching up on her. _

_"Hey, don't leave me?" He pleaded with a smile as she started to nod off. "Misaki?" He called once more. She smiled at his apparent desperation. He was so adorable, getting all flustered when his desire were to be left unfulfilled for the night. She weakly giggled at his expression.  
_

_"I could not even dream of that, Usui..." She said before her eyes closed on a last glimpse of emerald. Drifting away, she fell asleep in his safe embrace.  
_

**—**

"I should not even dream of that, Usui."

_Because if she did, she would not know how she could trust anyone again._


End file.
